WASHINGTON, D.C.-The European Union (EU) and the U.S. Government have resolved a long-standing transatlantic trade issue related to labeling of products imported into the EU, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).

“The NAM has been working on this challenge for more than 20 years. The issue revolved around Europe’s pending ‘metric only’ regulations that could have imposed severe costs on U.S. exporters,” says NAM Senior Director of International Business Policy Shaun Donnelly. “Absent an agreement, the EU was poised to require all imports from the U.S. have metric labels only, no nonmetric or imperial measurements, would have been allowed. That could very significantly increase costs for manufacturers, especially small and medium manufacturers. The EU is a major market for U.S. exports.

“The NAM commends the European Union for its very constructive approach to this long-standing challenge,” says Donnelly. “Extending the current dual-labeling provisions indefinitely is a good solution for business in the U.S., Europe and around the world. It is also good for consumers. By taking action ahead of the scheduled expiration of the current temporary dual-labeling authorization, the EU has eliminated uncertainty and provided time for all the necessary formalities to be adopted across Europe without disrupting business operations."